Avani Prashanth, Kochhar win National Games golf gold medals

NG podium
The men’s individual golf medal winners (from left) Abhinav Lohan (silver), Karandeep Kochhar (gold) and Sunhit Bishnoi (bronze).

By Rahul Banerji

Chandigarh golfer Karandeep Kochhar eased to a comfortable victory at the National Games golf competition in Ahmedabad, winning by ten shots over Abhinav Lohan.

In the women’s event, it was Karnataka’s Avani Prashanth who walked away with the individual gold at the Kensville Golf and Country Club. Avani also helped set up her state’s win in the team competition.

Kochhar, a two-time winner on the domestic professional PGTI circuit, aggregated a superb 21-under 267 (68-66-65-68) to finish ahead of Haryana’s Lohan, who totalled 11-over 277 (68-66-72-71) at the Kensville course.

Sunhit Bishnoi representing Haryana finished third for the bronze medal on seven-under 281.

Along with Anant Ahlawat, Kochhar also won the team golf.

Avani’s double in the women’s competition came on the back of a level-par 288 aggregate. She was four ahead of Punjab’s Amandeep Drall, who dropped five shots in her first nine holes on the final day to lose momentum.

Haryana’s Vani Kapoor finished third but did enough to ensure a silver medal finish in the team event. Punjab took the bronze medal.

NG women's podium
Women’s individual golf medallists (from left) Amandeep Drall (silver), Avani Prashanth (gold) and Vani Kapoor (bronze).

Results

Men
Individual:
1. Karandeep Kochhar (Chandigarh) 267 (68, 66, 65, 68); 2. Abhinav Lohan (Haryana) 277 (68, 66, 72, 71); 3. Sunhit Bishnoi (Haryana) 281 (73, 69, 69, 70).
Team: 1. Chandigarh (Karandeep Kochhar/Anant Singh Ahlawat) 571; 2. Karnataka (Aryan Roopa Anand/Trishul Chinappa) 581; 3. Delhi (Sachin Baisoya/Shaurya Bhattacharya) 582.
Women
Individual:
1. Avani Prashant (Karnataka) 288 (71, 74, 71, 72); 2. Amandeep Drall (Punjab) 292 (72, 69, 71, 80); 3. Vani Kapoor (Haryana) 295 (75, 74, 75, 71).
Team: 1. Karnataka (Avani Prashanth/Durga Nittur) 590; 2. Haryana (Lavanya Jadon/Vani Kapoor) 599; 3. Punjab (Amandeep Drall/Mannat Brar) 601.

Pranavi in for HWIO 2022

Meanwhile, the in-form Pranavi Urswill join the line-up at the Hero Women’s Indian Open 2022, it has been confirmed.

A change in dates of Stage 2 of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School Stage has allowed the Mysore star to play the lone Ladies European Tour event in the region. 

The $400,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open will be played at the DLF Golf and Country Club from October 20 to 23.

Pranavi, 19, has won five times in 13 legs of the domestic Tour this season and qualified from Stage 1 of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School earlier in the year.

Pranavi Urs
File photo of Mysore’s Pranavi Urs who will make her first professional appearance in the Hero Women’s Indian Open. Image courtesy WGAI.

The opportunity to play at HWIO22 will give Pranavi her maiden start as a pro at the event where she has earlier participated as an amateur. 

Hurricane Ian, which wreaked havoc in Florida, forced the LPGA to shift the dates by month from October 16 to 19 to November 17 to 20.

Pranavi immediately got in touch with Hero MotoCorp and requested to be put on the entry list, which closed last week.

Pranavi will be part of a solid Indian challenge that will include the 2016 Hero Indian Open Champion, Aditi Ashok, 2019 South African Women’s Open winner, Diksha Dagar; Tvesa Malik, Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall among others. 

Also read: Varun Parikh coasts to KDGT Invitational title by five shots


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